Workshops that aim to overcome the challenges of design management
In September and November 2021, Co-design Laboratory organized design management workshops to encourage new ideas initiated by design students and members from METI. The theme of the first workshop was based on the macro perspective of holistic challenges of design management. As a development, the second workshop focused on the micro perspective that focused on design management by each company.
Both workshops were organized as online events using Zoom and Miro, over the course of 2 days. In the September workshop, participants were encouraged to propose ideas that provide solutions for the challenges in implementing design management in industries. Each team was given a different theme to come up with concrete tools that stimulate collaboration between designers and business owners. In November, we invited business persons from 5 different companies located in Kyushu area in the south of Japan and proposed new ideas of design management for each company. Through these workshops, we aimed to contribute to the development of design management in industries and the promotion of implementing design as a part of business and government strategies in Japan.
About Co-design Laboratory
Co-design Laboratory is a group of design students and members from METI. This unique collaboration was founded in 2020 by students who aim to apply their skills to solving problems in the real world, and METI bureaucrats who have a strong interest in the design field. We aim to co-create new ideas through workshops and events that focus on the implementation of design-oriented strategies used in public domains. In 2020, we organized 3 workshops; [1] stimulating co-creation between public and private sectors, [2] communicating policies for air transportation, and [3] imagining a future society as a management of a design agency. By promoting our activities, we attempt to cultivate a deeper understanding and recognition of the effective utilisation of design in public organizations, which lags in their progress in design-led strategies in Japan. We hope to create a future where designers are expected to play a significant role at the forefront of society, while design is highly valued as an important strategic tool.
